hIX. Porsena's粼pt to Restore the Tarquins. The Tarquinshad now taken refuge with Porsena, the king of Clusium, whom they sought to influence by entreaty mixed with warnings. Atone time they entreated him not to allow men of Etruscan race, of the same blood as him.: ,,If, to wander as penniless' exiles;at another they would warn him not to let the new fashion. of expelling kings go unpt xished. Liberty, they urged, possensed fascination enou蜘 in itself;-Qnless kings defend their authority with as much energy as their subjects show in quest of liberty, all things come to a dead level, there will be no one th吨pre-eminent or superior to toa11 else in the State;there will soon be an end of kingly power which is the most beautiful thing, whether amongst gods or amongst mortal men. Porsena considered that the presence of an Etruscan upon the Roman throne would be an honour to his nation.; accordingly advanced with an army against Rome. Never before had senate been in such a state of alarm., so great at that time the of Clusium and the reputation of Porsena. but even their own fellow-citizens lest the plebs, overcome by their fears, should admit the "Tar-' quins int o the City, and accept peace even thou沙it mean七 slavery. Many concessions were made at that time to the plebs late. Their first care was to lay in a stock of corn and co nmissioners were，despatched t x and Cumae to collect supplies.，The sale of salt,， hiiIt , , }, in the hands of private xnaiviauais who had raised the p rice to a high figure, was now wholly transferred to the State. The plebs were exempted from the pa vrn.ent of ha比our-dues and the war-tax, 门户r so that they might fall. on the rich, who could bear the burden the poor were held to pay sufficient to the State if they brought up their children. This ,generous action of the senate maintwined the harmo ny of the commonwealth through the subse叫ent stress of siege and famine so completely that the name of king was not more abhorrent to the highest than. it was to the lowest, nor did anv demaaoaue ever succeed in b ecormng so 产材V产 popular in after times as the senate was then by its beneficent legislation.